Page 19 of A Pirate's Pleasure
“They might just be birds. Or they might be reporting back to their feathered compatriot.”
“Reporting back?”
“Birds and harpies are said to share a telepathic link. Distant cousins if you like.”
That was news to me, but then I’d had no reason to think about harpies. Being lord of the manor involved little thought of dangerous beasts. Little thought of anything if I was honest beyond what to have for dinner, who I should invite, and what to wear. “So… you think you’ve got a harpy on your tail? Why would you think that? Did you piss one off on your travels?”
Whitby jerked his head to where Zephyr stood with Fletcher at the ship’s wheel. “Harpies mate for life. Did you know that about them?”
“I did not,” I admitted. “But what’s that got to do with…” And then I got it. “Hang on. Are you telling me that Zeph is…” I resisted using the phrasing I wanted to, in lieu of something slightly more delicate. “…in some way involved with a half bird, half man creature?”
Whitby’s lips twitched before he brought them back under control. “Reckon that’s a question for the organ grinder rather than the monkey, don’t you? You should ask him.”
“Oh, don’t you worry, I intend to.” I shot a glare in Zephyr’s direction, but whatever he was discussing with his sail master seemed to be of the utmost importance, and he remained oblivious to my ire. It was probably something about avoiding starving to death, or how to stay two steps ahead of your vengeful harpy ex-lover if Whitby was to be believed. If it hadn’t been for the impending execution part that came with it, a cell was looking like a far better prospect than it had previously, what with the three square meals you got, and the distinct lack of harpies. But I’d made my choice, and it wasn’t like I could swim for it.
Deciding it was better to concentrate on the problems that I could solve, rather than the ones I couldn’t, I went in search of my clothes. It proved to be a far trickier prospect than I’d envisioned, an initial foray from bow to stern coming up with nothing.
“Lost something?” a laconic voice drawled at my back.
I turned to find a tall, wiry pirate regarding me with a smirk on his face. He had long straggly dark hair and the beginnings of a beard. His chest was bare, a pale, jagged scar crisscrossing it from waist to collarbone, one nipple having suffered for being in the blade’s way. His stance wasn’t friendly, and I assumed I was supposed to be intimidated.
“Oh, you can see me,” I said. “Good to know that yesterday’s invisibility has worn off.”
“We don’t like you,” the pirate said.
“So I heard.” I left a deliberate pause. “Apologies. I forgot to cry myself to sleep last night on account of that fact. I’ll try to do it tonight if I’m not too busy.” My words were deliberately provocative. I assumed me sharing the captain’s cabin had been the talk of the ship the previous night, and they didn’t have to know that Zephyr was about as willing to touch me as he would someone with leprosy. Maybe I needed a few more feathers to attract his attention.
The pirate’s eyes narrowed menacingly. Another pirate came to stand at his shoulder with tanned skin and dreadlocks, and then a third, this one taking up a position on the opposite side. Three against one, and Zephyr still deep in conversation. I surreptitiously scanned the deck for Whitby’s familiar form, but concluded when I couldn’t see him, that he must have gone below deck. Fucking marvelous. “Listen,” I said, deciding that placating them would be a far better option than to continue to antagonize them. “I’m not looking for trouble. I just want my clothes.” I lifted my arms to showcase the shirt, resisting the temptation to do a little twirl when it would have meant turning my back on them. “As you can see, I’m a little underdressed.”
“Your clothes?” the tall pirate said. “Lost them, have you? That was careless of you.”
I pointed to the other side of the deck. “They were over there last night.” I had to fight to keep my voice even and not let too much sharpness bleed into it. “One of the cabin boys picked them up after my impromptu bath. I’m guessing he put them somewhere. I just don’t happen to know where.”
The tall pirate cast a look at his two comrades. “I ain’t seen no clothes. ‘Ow about you two? You seen any clothes?”
“I’ve seen some clothes,” the red-headed pirate on his right said. He looked no older than twenty and still bore acne scars on his chin. If he was capable, he’d no doubt have grown a beard to cover them.
“Yeah?” I said hopefully.
He waved a hand along the length of his body. “Yeah, I’m wearing some, ain’t I?”
All three pirates cracked up, one of them even going so far as to slap him on the back. “That’s a good one, Newton, that is. We’ve all seen clothes in that case.”
My fingers curled into my palms, and I felt the absence of my blade keenly. Unfortunately, that was in the same place as my clothes. Which was careless of me. It seemed I hadn’t learned a thing from someone stealing the other and using it to frame me for murder. “Have you seen my clothes?” I asked.
A fourth pirate joined them, his hair bleached so blond by the sun that it was almost white. It was getting to be quite the party. “What’s going on ‘ere then?”
“Fugitive has lost his clothes, ain’t he?” Newton supplied.
Fugitive! Charming. Especially coming from a bunch of pirates.
“Maybe they fell in the sea,” the new arrival suggested.
“Good thinking,” the tall pirate said. “As good a place to start looking as any.”
I was beginning to wish I’d stayed invisible. This kind of attention I could do without. “You know what,” I said, “it’s fine. I can stay like this.” It wasn’t fine. Particularly if my one remaining knife had gone missing, along with my clothes. If they’d thrown that overboard, I was going to see red and Zephyr would have to keep a close eye on his dagger if he didn’t want me getting hold of it and teaching these toe rags that I might be a lord, but that I’d grown up in Glimmerfield and could take care of myself.
Four pairs of eyes raked me from head to toe. “Reckon we might have something on board you can borrow,” Newton said.